Obesity is a “chronic, relapsing, multifactorial, neurobehavioral disease”. We now know that fat is the largest endocrine producing organ in the body. Our appetite and metabolism are affected by insulin, cortisol, leptin, ghrelin, CCK, PYY, adiponectin, lipoprotein lipase, GLP-1 and more! Some of these hormones have direct impact on the brain itself, especially the hypothalamus.

Our clinic sees medication much like any other pharmaceutical used to treat disease. If, for example, a patient has controlled blood pressure only because he or she is taking blood pressure medication, clearly he or she should continue the drug. Somehow, because of cultural influences and past failures like Fen-phen, weight loss medications aren’t seen for what they are, but rather they are seen as “diet pills” or ways to cheat and avoid hard work.

In addition to initiating weight-loss promoting medications for the appropriate patient, our obesity-trained providers will also know which medications to adjust or discontinue that may be combatting your weight loss efforts. Many patients are unwittingly taking multiple medications that promote weight gain all while weight neutral or weight loss promoting medications exist.
Because weight loss can affect blood pressure and blood sugar, we also help manage medications as the weight loss journey continues to try and make your weight loss experience as safe as possible.

Lastly, and not to be overlooked, we evaluate for medical conditions that could be causing or contributing to your weight gain. Whether it’s hypothyroidism, Cushing syndrome, or monogenic forms of obesity such as MC4R deficiency, we screen the appropriate patient’s for these conditions and, most importantly, treat them for it. For genetic causes of obesity, we will even try to enroll you in drug trials. We want to make sure you get the help you need.

Behavior